ABSTRACT: RJ Lee Group, Inc., in partnership with experts from Hamler Test and Analysis, Inc., and in collaboration with GE Aviation, proposes to develop a Decision Support Tool (DST) to model the cumulative effects on component service life by CMAS (calcium-magnesium-aluminum-silicon oxide) on jet engine components. Phase I will focus on the characterization of ingestible silica particles consisting of sand or volcanic ash ; analyzing engine components that have been subjected to CMAS in a controlled, simulated engine environment; and development of a modeling concept that will provide the foundation to build a service life appraisal tool in Phase II. Ultimately, we foresee a commercial modeling tool (the DST) that can be used to estimate the remaining service life based on CMAS particle accumulation, cooling disruption, thermal barrier erosion and other compromised conditions such as alteration of the thermal conductivity of the thermal barrier coatings (TBC) and engine balance. BENEFIT: The potential benefits is a robust model that can be patented and commercialized to potential jet engine manufactures as well as large airlines for maintenance purposes.

The predictability in assessing an engine"s shop direct maintenance cost is largely a result of the significant reliability improvements inherent in today"s engine technology and a result of the introduction of on-condition maintenance. Engine on-condition maintenance seeks to do away with"hard-time"interval removal and prescribes routine monitoring of key operational parameters to drive removal. A by-product of these reliability improvements and the on-condition maintenance philosophy is a greater reliance on software and statistical analysis to predict the frequency of engine shop visit events and their corresponding shop visit costs. Estimating an appropriate direct maintenance cost therefore, requires careful forecasting of the equipments on-wing life as well as an accurate assessment of its capability to achieve that life and understanding the costs involved in improving that capability. The requirement of any reliability software is to be able to statistically describe any of the data elements that can be used to drive a prediction of on-wing life and/or identify direct maintenance cost. This multi-faceted approach can then provide useful information to optimization software, cost or ATOW forecasting software or other useful tools that will provide engine program management and their customers the ability to accurately assess the condition of fielded systems, understand their capabilities and identify long term management needs to maintain and improve the performance of these systems through out their intended life and beyond.

A thermophoretic sampler includes a sample assembly into which a removable sample cartridge can be inserted. The sample cartridge holds a substrate that, upon insertion, is exposed to a sample chamber. Thermophoresis is induced in the sample chamber, causing nanoparticles to be deposited on the substrate.

Development of semantic technologies to support materials design and development. This project is intended to start constructing the building blocks for 1. Common Vocabulary Development, 2. Annotation, exposure, and discovery of existing published material properties and processes using standard and existing technologies, and 3. New ways to share and discover materials and processes.